PORTLAND, ORE.— Placing it among exclusive company on an international scale, Portland’s Avalon Hotel & Spa has achieved the Northwest’s first LEED certification of an existing hotel building. The Avalon, a luxury boutique hotel and spa, joins the ranks of only nine other hotels in the world to have achieved LEED certification and is the second existing hotel building in the world to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) coveted Silver rating. The Avalon is located in Portland, Ore., a location that is consistently ranked as the greenest city in America, with 43 buildings certified to the USGBC’s LEED...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes HD Supply Hospitality Solutions as a Founding Sponsor. HD Supply is committed to doing business in a manner that is responsible to its associates, customers and the environment. With HD Supply’s new ideallygreen icon, the company has made it easy for its customers to identify environmentally preferable products throughout its catalogs and at www.hdsupplysolutions.com. Products marked with the ideallygreen icon can increase energy efficiency, help reduce water consumption, create a healthier indoor environment, facilitate waste reduction, and prevent hazardous materials from entering the environment. HD Supply is one of...

LAPU-LAPU, PHILIPPINES—An invention that reuses the water used to cool ice machine compressors has allowed Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa in the Philippines to recycle hundreds of thousands of liters of water each year and save on its water bill. The invention, a simple piping system, is attached to three ice machines in the hotel, capturing the water used to cool the compressors and then sending this “grey water” to be reused in the hotel’s flushing tanks, rather than simply washing down the drain. The system was created as part of a water saving project led by Hilton Cebu’s chief...

HILLSBORO, ORE.—Caroma, a leader in dual flush toilets and bathroom sinks, has introduced its newest high efficiency dual flush toilet (HET): Sydney Low Profile. The Low Profile is ideal for installations that want to conserve water and require a shorter toilet due to space restrictions, such as under a counter or a grab bar in ADA installations. Two configurations of the new Sydney Low Profile are WaterSense approved, certifying exceptional performance and reduced water use. The toilet is only 26 ½” tall. This unique feature allows it into many commercial installations where standard height dual flush toilets don’t fit, such...

INDIANAPOLIS—Continuing its dedication to water conservation and energy efficiency, Delta Faucet Co. announced that it has added a water-efficient showerhead to its product line. Designed with the hospitality industry in mind, The Water-Efficient Showerhead with H2Okinetic Technology uses only 1.6 gallons of water per minute (gpm) as opposed to the standard 2.5 gpm, while still delivering a superior shower experience. H2Okinetic Technology provides greater control over the showering experience by managing the water droplet size and velocity, spray coverage and thermal dynamics. Its water-conserving properties deliver the feeling of a standard showerhead at a lower flow. Standard showers deliver 2.5...

SHEFFIELD, MASS.—Cypress Hotel & Spa, a leading designer and manufacturer of luxurious bathrobes, towels, slippers, and sheets for the hospitality and spa industry for more than 25 years, announced that their exclusive MicroCotton Green Earth towel has been re-engineered to be more absorbent, durable and eco-friendly. “In today’s eco-economy, it is critical for hotels to reduce energy usage and expenditures,” stated Gene Faul, Cypress founder and CEO. “However, most hoteliers have been reluctant to implement the use of ‘green’ or organic linens because they are typically not as soft, durable or luxurious as traditional ones. Our new Green Earth...

DENVER—The Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center has begun to implement a comprehensive sustainability program designed to minimize the hotel’s overall carbon footprint and decrease its environmental impact. “Sparked by the passion of our staff and our customers, and Hyatt’s desire to be a part of the solution, we felt compelled to develop and implement long-term sustainability programs that would have lasting, positive results,” commented John Schafer, general manager of Hyatt Regency Denver. “Living in Colorado and waking up to one of the most magnificent views every day is a constant reminder of our connection to the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The EPA is accepting nominations for the 2008 Water Efficiency Leader Awards to recognize organizations and individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and innovation in water efficiency. Winners will be chosen by a panel of national water experts and based on three criteria: leadership, innovation, and water saved. “We encourage organizations and individuals who are saving water, energy and money for our nation’s families and communities to apply for the 2008 Water Efficiency Leader Awards,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. “Together, we are proving innovative technology and environmental stewardship can help conserve our country’s greatest...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Caroma as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Caroma is a leading producer of high efficiency dual flush toilets. Averaging 0.9 gallons per flush (gpf), Caroma’s WaterSense-approved Smart Technology toilets provide water savings up to 44 percent compared to 1.6 gpf and 74 percent compared to 3.5 gpf toilets. The toilets are also available in Elongated and Easy Height (ADA height). With large trapways, Caroma toilets are virtually unblockable. Caroma is also a producer of bathroom sinks, urinals and toilet seats. For additional information, call (800) 605-4218,...

VISTA, CALIF.—Nearly 100 commercial, educational, and government building facility managers, who have installed waterless or no-water urinal systems in their facilities, were asked their thoughts on waterless or no-flush urinals. “This is one of the few surveys taken on the subject,” says Klaus Reichardt, founder and managing partner of Waterless Co. LLC, the oldest U.S. manufacturer of waterless urinals. “However, with the growing interest in greening building operations, the systems are becoming quite common and are now found in many locations.” As to overall opinions, when asked if they had a choice between installing conventional or waterless urinals again, 60 percent...